In 1950, about four million Americans were living alone, a little less than 10% of all households. Today, more than 50 percent of American adults are single, and 31 million — roughly one out of every seven adults — live alone (this figure excludes the eight million Americans who live in voluntary and non-voluntary group quarters, such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and prisons). Contemporary solo dwellers are primarily women — about 17 million, compared to 14 million men. The majority, more than 15 million, are middle-aged adults between the ages of 35 and 64. The elderly account for about 10 million of the total. Unlike their predecessors, people who live alone today cluster together in urban areas and inhabit all regions of the country. One million people live alone in New York City, and in Manhattan, more than half of all residences are one-person dwellings.

Eric Klinenberg is Professor of Sociology at New York University and the editor of the journal Public Culture. He was given funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to do a study on living alone and social isolation in America. One of his findings is that the cult of the individual is alive and well thanks to the rising status of women, the communications revolution, mass urbanization, and the longevity revolution.

Klinenberg was surprised by some of the things he learned in his research: one of them is that living alone is not an entirely solitary existence, in fact for many it is a very social one. Secondly, many who are on their own connect with other people through the Internet and social media. The swift rise in the numbers of single people living in cities has been a prime factor in revitalizing them. A growing number of 20- and 30-somethings find urban areas to be ideal settings for sexual freedom, cultural pleasure, and personal growth.

Stockholm has been called "the global capital of living alone"; 60% of households consist of one person. Klinenberg looks at a community-owned facility where 43 single people live but can use other rooms in the place (a restaurant, library, and gym) for communal flourishing. This may well be the wave of the future for elders as well!